Job
by KitsuneMiyuKendraHyuga
Summary: AU Due to financial difficulties, Kagome has to work under an ignorant boss, Inuyasha. But maybe not forever…
1. Chapter 1

**JOB**

**...**

_Taisho Industries, business meeting_

"Of course this would be the best course of action. Since there are about 7 million people on the planet, this should appeal to most of them."

Kagome cleared her voice discreetly and bent forward to whisper something in the ear of her employer, who had just spoken. He dismissed her with a hand, as if she were an annoying fly.

"Not now, Higurashi, not now with your nonsense," he said haughtily.

Kagome, however, wasn't going to be deterred. "Just a second, sir, I need to speak with you," she repeated what she had quietly whispered a moment before.

Her employer, Inuyasha Taisho, sighed impatiently and stood up from the meeting table. "Fine, you irritating woman. Be quick."

Kagome led the man a little to the side and quietly whispered another few words. The rest of the people who were present at the business encounter remained waiting.

Less than twenty seconds later, Inuyasha came back to the table, shaking his head. "This stupid woman…" he mumbled loudly. "To think that she took me aside just to feed me some foolishness about there being more than 7 billion people on the planet and not 7 million," he snorted derisively. "What a brainless secretary I have."

The other people around the table had embarrassed expressions on their faces, while Kagome, standing behind her employer's chair, had an unreadable face.

The meeting continued with some difficulty, Inuyasha continually saying other stupidities and Kagome doing her best to rectify them and leading the topics on. It wasn't an easy task, especially because he did all he could to make fun of her in front of everyone. It was clear that he despised and looked down on her. But, courageously, the woman continued to do her job with remarkable effort – and, surprisingly, with good results.

Kagome Higurashi had been working for the company of Inuyasha Taisho for more than a year. She was just twenty-three, but she was accomplished and clever. Her pay wasn't very high, and the job was not satisfactory, but she desperately needed the money. Her younger brother, Souta, was in need of expensive treatment at the hospital after a bad car accident, and she needed everything she earned. Therefore, she had to tolerate the mean attitude of her dense employer as best as she could.

The meeting didn't last much longer, and when it was over, Inuyasha was the first one to leave, insulting his secretary once again while exiting. All the others sent her a few glances of pity and left as well.

Alone in the room, Kagome sighed. All those people were terrified of the power of the Taisho family, therefore didn't dare speak against the ignorance of Inuyasha. Not that she herself could do much. If she was fired, her brother's life would be in grave danger. She sighed again.

"Miss Higurashi?"

She jumped slightly. She hadn't noticed that there was still someone in the room. She took a step back on instinct, before noticing who it was.

Sesshoumaru Taisho was Inuyasha's older half-brother, and he owned a large part of the Taisho companies, but mainly the branches that were abroad. He had come that day from a faraway land only for the meeting. Kagome had never met him before, only heard stories. He was rumoured to be quite strict, but also a fair, honourable, skilled and honest businessman.

The man, so similar to his half-brother and yet so different, regarded her intently for a moment. Then he walked to the door and closed it.

"I'd like to speak with you for a moment, please." He said it calmly and politely, and Kagome saw no point in arguing with that. After all, as soon as she exited that room, she would have to go back to her boss, Inuyasha, and she certainly wasn't looking forward to that.

So she nodded without a word, signalling for him to continue.

He turned to face her fully. His eyes observed her carefully. And then he said something she wasn't expecting.

"I would like to offer you a job, miss Higurashi."

Kagome's eyes widened. _What?_

Before she could say anything, he continued, with a hint of amusement, "Please let me finish before saying anything. I have seen how my disrespectful brother mistreats you, and I know you have to endure long gruelling hours with him as his secretary, beside the fact that he constantly belittles and insults you. The motivations of your tolerance are yours and I can't pretend to understand them, but I can guess it must be something serious for you to suffer so much. However, in spite of all these things, there is something else that I couldn't help noticing, and I'm sure everyone else noticed as well." His gaze became more piercing. "Despite your very young age, you show great intelligence, knowledge, initiative and willingness to work. Even if my brother doesn't see it, everyone is aware of the fact that you are clever, and everyone is aware of how hard it must be for you to work with someone as stupid as Inuyasha. So this is why," and he took a step towards her, "I would like to offer you a job as my personal assistant. I am in need of someone who can deal with many tasks as quickly and expertly as you do. I will admit, this is the first time I meet you, but I'm more than positive that you are the best one for the job, because what I saw today deserves all the appreciation and respect I deem anyone worthy of."

Kagome was in shock. She opened and closed her eyes a few times, still startled.

Seeing her astonishment, Sesshoumaru smirked slightly. "In this new job, you would have normal working hours, miss Higurashi, not the slavery Inuyasha pretends from you while he goes partying. Oh, and of course the salary." He named a number that was _five_ times what she received at the moment. Kagome's eyes widened again.

Abruptly, she sat down, not able to think coherently. She was receiving a wonderful job offer? No, she must be dreaming.

"Forgive me, but… is this some kind of joke?" she said weakly, tilting her head to the side in order to look Sesshoumaru in the eye.

He shook his head. "No, miss Higurashi, I assure you that I am perfectly serious. I believe you deserve better than what you go through every day, and your talents are exactly what I'm looking for. Do not waste them with someone like Inuyasha."

Kagome remained silent for a long while, mulling over those information. Then she decided to speak. "I… I have a younger brother, who was hit by a drunk driver a year ago. I desperately need the money I earn for his treatment, so that's why I never quit this job…" She didn't know what had made her say that, but she had just felt the need to blurt it out.

Sesshoumaru didn't seem surprised. The briefest expression of sympathy and understanding crossed his face, before being replaced by his usual business mask.

Kagome continued, hesitantly, "I'm sure you'll understand what I'm about to ask, Mr Taisho… and I apologize in advance… but I would like a written offer from you before quitting my current job. I cannot afford this to be just a momentary impulse and you changing your mind later."

Sesshoumaru nodded, not at all bothered by her demand. It was instead a clever request, and he inwardly smiled, thinking that he had really found a good person for the job as his personal assistant.

She then spoke again. "Another thing… I understand that you travel a lot…"

He interrupted her calmly. "Do not worry, I have come back here to take control of the company and I won't be travelling anymore. And if Inuyasha continues with his foolish behaviour, I will find myself forced to kick him out for good."

Kagome was still a bit uncertain and voiced her final concerns. "Um… Mr Taisho… not to be disrespectful, but… are you sure you want to make your job offer to me? After all, I'm just twenty-three, not qualified enough, with no real experience, and I might very possibly not be able to handle the job…"

The man shook his head once. "I never say things I don't mean, miss Higurashi, and I believe you are capable to do what is needed. I will prepare the papers you requested immediately."

He sat down next to her and prepared everything that was necessary. He also requested that she call him 'Mr Sesshoumaru' instead of 'Mr Taisho'.

He then gave her the papers, properly signed, told her he would be expecting an answer and left the room.

…

Three days later, Kagome Higurashi quit her job with Inuyasha Taisho and began working with Sesshoumaru Taisho.

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A/N: I don't know where this came from... and I don't know if I should add something else to it.

Thank you so much for reading!

KitsuneMiyuKendraHyuga


	2. Chapter 2

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**A/N**: Um, I really thank you for your kind response to "Job", but… I was quite dumbfounded when people asked me to 'update'. I had nothing planned for this story, I just had the idea for the first part. I only considered that there _might_ be a short conclusion. So when I saw people asking for new chapters, I was like: "huh?"

Anyway, even if I find it hard to work under pressure, I decided to transform this in a three-parts story. Here's the second part.

Thank you so much for your support!

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"_Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe._"

Albert Einstein

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**JOB**

_Taisho Industries, offices_

_Flashback_

_Inuyasha was flashing everyone his grin, convinced he had just made an unforgettable impression. It was technically true, but not in a positive way._

_People in the business meeting were discreetly averting their eyes or trying to maintain a polite expression after the last idiocy he had said, this time concerning geography. Inuyasha had just expressed his opinion, saying he was against making a financial treaty with a company in Rome, because he didn't like _Spain_._

_People in the room were in fact embarrassed, but no one would ever dare say anything, or remind Inuyasha that Rome was _not_ in Spain, but in Italy. And a prejudice against Spain was completely irrational, but again, no one dared say anything._

_Not against a member of the powerful Taisho family._

_Inuyasha's ignorance would not have been tolerated, had he been anyone else. Everyone in the room with him wondered how he managed to run the Taisho Industries, considering his ineptitude._

_Kagome, who was next to Inuyasha as his secretary, mentally steeled herself and prepared to tactfully change the topic. She would go back to it later, when her boss would already __have__ forgotten what he had said. She knew the financial treaty was a good choice, and she knew that everyone else in the room thought so, too._

_She would make Inuyasha indirectly do what was best for the Taisho Industries. As usual._

Kagome shook herself from that unpleasant memory – one of many –, looked up from her desk and saw the clock.

In half an hour, her working time would end. She concentrated hard on the last files she had to read, in order to analyse them quickly and leave them ready for Sesshoumaru to sign the next morning. Thanks to the more human working hours she had, as soon as she finished she could go home.

Or maybe she could go visit her brother at the hospital first. Kagome inwardly smiled. Not only did she have shorter working hours and could therefore spend time with her beloved younger sibling, she could now also afford a few little luxuries for him as well. The treatment was going smoothly and she wasn't preoccupied about the cost anymore, thanks to her new job.

In fact, Sesshoumaru had offered to pay her first salary in advance and, even if she had been surprised at his perceptiveness, she had accepted. She had only been working for him for a fortnight, but she had already been proving to him how invaluable she was. She was professional and dedicated, and the job was perfect for her. Just an hour earlier, before going to his half-brother's office to speak with him, Sesshoumaru himself had approached her and told her that he was glad to have hired her.

Aside from the obvious pleasure that such a compliment gave her, Kagome had also noticed for the first time how handsome her silver-haired employer was. But she knew better than to let herself fall prey to his charms, she repeated to herself mentally, and forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand.

Half an hour later, Kagome closed the offices, and was about to leave the building when she spotted Sesshoumaru coming back. He was as serious as ever, but his eyes softened fractionally when he saw her. He gave a nod in her direction.

Kagome smiled a little in response and asked, respectfully, "How was the meeting with your brother, Mr Sesshoumaru?"

The tall man's expression didn't change. "As usual, Miss Higurashi," he replied curtly. He didn't rectify, as Inuyasha always did, that they were only _half_-brothers.

The young woman didn't think he would offer more information, and was about to take her leave politely, when her employer added, "I'm afraid I've had to fire him." He observed her face carefully while pronouncing those words.

Kagome gasped slightly. She wasn't surprised at Inuyasha's dismissal, but she was surprised at the fact that _Sesshoumaru_ had been the one to do it.

Even though the two brothers weren't particularly close, they had taken their father's place at the head of the Taisho empire together, as it was Inutaisho's last wish. The black-haired woman wasn't sure about the details, but she knew that Sesshoumaru had been taking care of the companies around the world while Inuyasha had stayed in Japan to… to… well, it wasn't clear what exactly he did, beside wasting a lot of money in futile things.

However, Kagome knew he was part of the Taisho family, and didn't think he could be dismissed so quickly. But, as she reminded herself, it was none of her business, so she had no right to ask further questions.

It seemed, however, that her curiosity was clearly visible on her face, because Sesshoumaru said, with a hint of a smile, "It was a necessary measure I had to take. The way he was 'working'," he emphasized the word slightly, "was shameful for the Taisho Industries."

Those few words contained much more than what they were saying. It was now clear, especially from what Kagome knew about Sesshoumaru, that he would get rid of whatever was not an asset for the welfare of the companies. However, it was not a cold and heartless decision, it was a rational and calculated one. Sesshoumaru's brother's staying would have benefited neither the company nor Inuyasha himself. Therefore, the best decision was to fire him.

Kagome reached this conclusion while meeting her employer's gaze. By the knowing gleam in those strange golden orbs of his, she realized he was well aware of her train of thoughts, and he seemed to be pleased about her reasoning. She blushed.

The black-haired woman did her best to hide her discomfort and murmured a quiet, "Very well. Good night, Mr Sesshoumaru," before leaving the building in direction of the hospital.

...

Later that night, after her brother had fallen asleep, Kagome tenderly tucked him in the hospital bed and smiled. Her brother's health was improving and he would soon be able to leave the hospital; her new job was interesting, not too difficult and well-paid; her former boss – ignorant and vexing – couldn't do any more damage to the company she was working for; her new boss –a clever man – seemed to trust her and was happy with her work…

Things were definitely going well.

But sadly for Kagome… fate had still something in store for her.

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A/N: all the things Inuyasha says are things I actually heard from people. I didn't invent anything for those parts.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: it was quite entertaining for me to receive a review that accused me of writing bashfics. I don't _think_ this is a bashfic, but you can consider it one, if you want to. I don't mind either way :)

Oh, and today it's exactly a year since I joined FF. It makes me feel so old somehow.

Anyway, Sesshoumaru might be a bit OOC in this third (and last) part.

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**JOB**

Six months later, Kagome arrived to the office early in the morning as usual.

After her brother had been discharged from the hospital and gone back to school, she had been able to concentrate on her job fully, and she had now grown to really like it. She had to work quite a lot, but she liked what she did and it wasn't difficult to keep up with what was required to do.

Her employer, Sesshoumaru Taisho, was a quiet man, extremely proficient in what he did, and was rumoured to be very strict with his employees, pointing out their mistakes in order to make them work better. With her, it had never happened. A few times, he had even paid her a compliment about how she handled the job. She had blushed profusely, but she had been very pleased. And again, she couldn't help being very aware of how handsome her boss was, and how his rare smiles made him look absolutely gorgeous.

That morning, Kagome had to organize a few meetings for the next week. When she arrived, the office was almost empty, as usual when it was so early; an hour later, everyone was at work. Sesshoumaru arrived as well and greeted her politely, his eyes lingering on her a moment longer than necessary, even if she didn't notice that.

When it was half past nine, she got up from her working place to go take a coffee for Sesshoumaru and a latte for herself, as she did every morning.

But as soon as she had opened the door of the office in which she worked with her boss, she was face to face with Inuyasha, her former employer, who had been fired two weeks after she had left her job with him.

Behind him, all the other people of the office were regarding him nervously.

"You bitch!" Inuyasha snarled at her, eyeing her with distaste. "So this is why you quit, hm? You got into Sesshoumaru's pants and made him accept you as his secretary? Disgusting woman!" He took a step forward, not leaving the shocked Kagome time to react. "This is what you deserve for leaving your job!"

And Inuyasha aimed a punch at her. Kagome wasn't able to do anything. She received a strong blow to the head that made her scream and fall backwards against the wall. As soon as she hit the wall, she slowly collapsed on the floor, leaving a trail of blood on the white surface behind her.

Sesshoumaru had not been able to intervene in what had happened before his eyes, but as soon as Kagome fainted on the floor, he acted. He delivered a solid punch to his brother's jaw that made him stumble to the ground and then called immediately an ambulance, not leaving Kagome's side.

All the people in the offices were shocked at what had happened, but they didn't stay inactive. They quickly stopped Inuyasha from escaping, called the police and waited patiently together with their boss for the ambulance. Kagome Higurashi had been there only for a little more than half a year, but she was already respected by everyone.

When the ambulance arrived, Sesshoumaru resolutely said that he would accompany her personally; after he left his statement to the police regarding Inuyasha's assault, he was allowed to go with her.

Kagome's conditions weren't bad, luckily: she had a mild concussion and a few bruises, but nothing else. As soon as she woke up, she found Sesshoumaru sitting beside her hospital bed, smiling softly at her.

"Kagome," he said warmly, his eyes not leaving her for a moment, "how are you feeling?"

The young woman blinked a few times and groaned, taking her head in her hands. "My head hurts a little, but I'm fine," she said.

Then something occurred to her. "You called me Kagome," she stated, looking at him incredulously. He had always been adamant about detachment in the office, calling her 'miss Higurashi'.

This time, however, he nodded. "I'm sorry for what happened, Kagome," he said, and his voice was laced with an undertone of remorse. "I will understand if you wish to leave this job, but should you decide to stay, I promise you that nothing like this will ever happen again. Inuyasha will go to prison for his actions, and no harm shall come to you again."

Kagome was deeply confused. Why was her employer so worried about her leaving the job?

She cleared her voice. "I would like to continue working with you, Sesshoumaru," she murmured, unconsciously forgoing the 'Mr'. "And I can understand your brother's anger: he was fired and his former secretary is now working for you."

Sesshoumaru shook his head, angry. "No matter what the reasons, his behaviour was unacceptable and unforgivable," he stated firmly. One of his hands reached her cheek and caressed it. "I really apologize, Kagome."

She smiled a little, even if she was still confused. "Don't worry about it," she said warmly. Then she added, "But… I don't understand… why are you taking this to heart?"

The man seemed to ponder her words for a while, regarding her intently. Then he answered, seeming to have difficulties with the words, "Because when I saw you being hit and fall on the floor, with the blood coming out from your head… I realized that I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something serious happened to you."

Kagome's eyes went wide and she met his earnest gaze in shock. "But… but…" she stuttered.

Sesshoumaru came closer to her bed. His eyes, for the first time in all the months in which she had worked with him, were unguarded. His expression was still difficult to read, but Kagome understood anyway. Her own eyes softened as comprehension downed on her, realising he was patiently waiting for her reaction.

Therefore she smiled at him and replied, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru."

Her employer gave her one of his rare smiles, caressing her cheek briefly and making her smile again. And suddenly, before Kagome could realize what was happening, Sesshoumaru bent forward and pressed a fleeting kiss on her lips.

Before the young woman could get over that new shock, he was already at the exit.

"I hope you will get well soon, Kagome," he murmured.

And he went out, closing the door behind him.

Kagome smiled. If what had happened that day was of any indication, the next few weeks – no, the next few months, or even _years_ – would prove to be very, very interesting.

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A/N:

And so this is done. There will be nothing more for the Job-world.

Thank you so much for reading, it means a lot to me!

Until next time,

KitsuneMiyuKendraHyuga


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